How to Delete Your Facebook Account Permanently in 2024

Facebook has become an integral part of many people’s lives since its launch in 2004. However, some users may wish to delete their Facebook accounts permanently for privacy concerns, negativity on the platform, or wanting more productivity. Fortunately, deleting your Facebook account is still possible in 2024, if you follow some simple steps.

Key Takeaways

Here are the key takeaways for deleting your Facebook account permanently in 2024:

Download your Facebook data and notify friends before deleting your account. This allows you to save your information and relationships.
Manually remove old posts and deactivate linked apps beforehand as well, to increase privacy later.
The deletion process takes 90 days total, but your account loses access immediately and data is erased after 14 days.
Once 14 days pass after requesting deletion, there is no way to recover your account or data. The termination is permanent.
Consider alternatives like temporarily deactivating your account or increasing privacy settings, if you aren’t sure about full deletion.
Maintain real-life contact information for close connections. Stay in touch via phone, messaging apps, other social media sites, video calls, and face-to-face meetups after leaving Facebook.

Proceeding with Facebook account deletion requires some preparation like downloading your posts and contacts, unlinking integrated apps, and notifying friends via other channels. Give yourself time to download data and say goodbye online. Realize the termination is irreversible after 14 days too. But with prudent precautions taken, deleting Facebook can be very freeing overall while still keeping the important relationships through alternative communication going forward in 2024 and beyond!

Is it Possible to Delete Facebook Account?

Yes, it is definitely possible to permanently delete your Facebook account if you wish. Here are some key points about deleting a Facebook account:

Account deletion is still an option offered by Facebook in 2024. They provide a way to permanently terminate your account through the settings menu.
When you request account deletion, your account is first deactivated for 14 days, during which you can still cancel and reverse the deletion.
After 14 days have passed since requesting deletion, Facebook begins permanently erasing all data from your account.
It can take up to 90 days for Facebook to fully finalize the account termination process, but your profile and data will no longer be accessible within the first couple weeks already.
Once 14 days have passed, there is no way to retrieve your account or data. The account termination cannot be reversed by anyone at that point.
If you change your mind down the road, you would have to create an entirely new Facebook account instead of recovering the old one.

Yes, Facebook still gives users the option to permanently delete an account through a dedicated self-service deletion process. Just be absolutely sure about your choice before reaching that 14 day point-of-no-return!

An Introduction to Deleting Facebook

Before diving into the step-by-step guide, let’s first understand what exactly happens when you delete a Facebook account.

What Data is Deleted?

When you delete your Facebook account, the following data is removed permanently:

Your profile information (bio, photos, posts, videos, etc.)
Your messages and chat history
Your timeline and activity log
Friends, followers, and groups you belong to

However, some data may still be retained by Facebook, such as:

Data from your interactions with other services (like using Facebook Login)
Anonymized analytics data (won’t be traceable back to your account)
Backup copies for a limited time in case you reactivate your account

So deleting Facebook removes all personal data from your account, but some usage data may still remain in Facebook’s systems.

When is Data Deleted?

For the first 14 days after requesting account deletion, your account is deactivated temporarily and can be reactivated if you log back in.

After 14 days, Facebook permanently deletes all personal data associated with your account. It may take up to 90 days for Facebook to finish deleting backup and residual data related to your account.

So expect the deletion process to fully complete in about 3 months after you first request account termination.

Can You Recover a Deleted Account?

No, once your Facebook account is permanently deleted after 14 days, there is no way to recover or reactivate it. You would have to create a brand new account instead.

The deletion is designed to be permanent, so don’t request account termination if you think you may change your mind later. There will be no going back!

Step-by-Step Guide to Deleting Your Account

Ready to take the plunge and delete your Facebook account? Here is a step-by-step walkthrough for 2024:

Step 1: Download Your Facebook Data

Before deleting your account, make sure to download a copy of your Facebook data for your own records. Here’s how:

Click the down arrow in the top right and select “Settings & Privacy”
In the left menu, click “Settings”
Click “Your Facebook Information” in the tabs at the top
Click “Download Your Information”

This will allow you to download all your posts, photos, messages, and account info in one convenient file to keep.

Step 2: Delete All Old Posts and Activities

To protect your privacy after deleting Facebook, you’ll also want to manually delete old posts and activities still lingering on your timeline right before termination.

Here are some things to remove:

Old posts you’ve shared over the years
Photos or videos you’ve been tagged in
Likes and reactions to friends’ posts
Comments on posts, videos, or Pages

Deleting this content now means copies of it won’t still be accessible after your account is gone. It greatly minimizes your digital footprint.

Step 3: Notify Friends and Family

Let close connections on Facebook know that you’ll be deleting your account soon. This allows them to stay in contact through other means, like phone numbers or email addresses.

To let all your Facebook friends know at once:

Write a status update that you’ll be leaving Facebook
In the audience selector, choose “Friends” to target the post
Share when you expect to delete your account so they know to reach out

And be sure to privately message your closest family and friends as well about the pending deletion.

Step 4: Download Third-Party App Data

If you used your Facebook account to log in to other apps and websites through Facebook Login, make sure to download your data from each connected app before deleting.

Here are some major apps to check for data:

Instagram
Spotify
Pinterest
Tinder
Airbnb

For apps still linked to your Facebook, you’ll need to go through and manually disconnect them later on.

Step 5: Request Account Deletion

Once you’ve prepared your account and are set on leaving Facebook for good, here is how to permanently delete your account:

Click the down arrow in the top right corner and select “Settings & privacy”
Click “Settings” in the left sidebar
Click “Your Facebook Information” from the top menu
Select “Deactivation and Deletion”
Choose “Delete Account” then “Continue to Account Deletion”
Enter your password to confirm account deletion

After clicking through this process, your account will be scheduled for termination.

Step 6: Disconnect All Linked Apps

With your account set for deletion, now is the time to disconnect any third party apps or sites still linked to your Facebook account through Facebook Login or API sharing.

Here are the steps to view and remove linked apps and sites:

Click the down arrow > “Settings & privacy”
Select “Settings”
Click “Apps and Websites” in left sidebar
Remove each connected app individually

Completing this step is crucial to preventing apps accessing your data.

What to Expect After Deleting Facebook

Here’s an overview of what happens after you delete your Facebook account:

Immediately After Deletion

Once requested, your account is deactivated right away with the following restrictions:

Your profile and posts are hidden
Friends can no longer search for your account
You cannot log back into Facebook

If you were an admin of any Facebook Groups or Pages, your administrative privileges will be removed automatically.

Within 14 Days After Deletion

For 14 days after deletion is requested, your account remains deactivated in case you change your mind.

During this time, you can still cancel and reverse account termination by logging back in with your old credentials. Your profile will be restored to its full state – no data is lost yet.

But if you don’t log back in within 14 days, your Facebook account will be permanently deleted.

1-90 Days After Deletion

14 days after requesting account cancellation, Facebook begins permanently deleting all leftover data associated with your account. This includes:

Removing all your posts, photos, profile info, etc.
Wiping your messaging history and search history
Deleting analytics data associated with your account

It may take up to 90 days for this data deletion process to fully complete across Facebook’s systems. But your core account info and content is removed within the first 2 weeks already.

So three months later, it will be like your Facebook account never existed in the first place! No personal data will remain.

Alternatives to Closing Your Account

If you aren’t quite ready to commit to a full Facebook account deletion, consider these intermediary alternatives:

Deactivate Account Temporarily

Instead of permanent termination, you can choose to temporarily deactivate your account for a break from Facebook without losing your login.

Your profile will be hidden similarly though, and you will not get notifications during the deactivation period.

This gives you a chance to see whether you miss Facebook or thrive with the break.

To do it:

Click down arrow > Settings & Privacy
Select settings
Click “Your Facebook Information”
Choose ‘Deactivation’

Simply log back in at any point to restore the account!

Increase Privacy Settings

If your main concern is privacy risks from having a public account – there are also ways to restrict visibility instead of deleting everything.

For full control over who sees your posts and profile, you can:

Limit your audience for posts to just friends or friend-of-friends
Review your past activity and limit visibility of old posts
Customize settings for which profile details are public vs private

While still on the platform, these precautions greatly minimize your exposure and data footprint on Facebook.

Delete Facebook Account Link: Step-by-step Guide

Unfortunately I do not have a direct link for deleting Facebook accounts. Here are the steps you need to take instead to delete your Facebook account:

Log into your Facebook account
Click on the arrow in the top right corner and select “Settings & Privacy”
On the left sidebar, click on “Settings”
In the top menu, click on “Your Facebook Information”
Then click on “Deactivation and Deletion”
This will open the “Deactivate Account” page. Scroll down and click on “Delete Account”
Click “Continue to Account Deletion” on the pop-up
Finally, enter your password and click “Delete Account” to confirm

This will initiate the permanent deletion process for your account. Note that after 14 days your account cannot be restored as the deletion is irreversible.

I’m happy to provide more details on the account deletion process. But for security reasons Facebook does not provide a direct link for self-deleting accounts.

How to Delete Facebook Account on App

Here are the steps to delete your Facebook account using the Facebook mobile app on your phone or tablet:

Open the Facebook app and tap the three-line menu icon in the top right.
Scroll down and choose “Settings & Privacy”.
Tap “Settings”.
Scroll to the bottom and tap “Personal and Account Information”.
Tap “Account Ownership and Control”.
Tap “Deactivation and Deletion”.
Tap “Delete Account” then “Continue to Account Deletion”.
Enter your Facebook password to confirm your identity.
Tap “Delete Account” to finalize the permanent deletion request.

This will initiate the deletion process. Your account will be deactivated first and then permanently deleted after 14 days have passed. Note that once 14 days pass, there is no way to undo or cancel the deletion.

If you run into any trouble deleting through the mobile app, you can also log into Facebook through a web browser to delete your account more easily. But the overall deletion process remains the same.

How to Delete Facebook Account Without Password

Unfortunately, deleting your Facebook account without your password is not possible. Here are the reasons why:

Password Protection – Requiring your account password to delete your profile is an important security measure by Facebook. It ensures someone else can’t maliciously terminate your profile without consent.
Identity Verification – Entering your password proves you are the legitimate account owner attempting to willingly delete your own profile. This prevents unauthorized account termination.
Data Integrity – Requesting your password before permanent account deletion allows Facebook to confirm your identity and prevent accidental data loss.
Legal Obligations – Authentication via password aligns with Facebook’s privacy commitments to users and regulations requiring informed user consent.

If you can’t recall your password, here are some options:

Reset your Facebook password if you still have access to the email or phone number on your account. This allows you to set a new password.
Submit identification documents to Facebook to prove your identity and ownership of the account in order to reset access.
As a last resort, create a new account and notify contacts. You won’t be able to delete the old one without the password.

Providing your password is mandatory for voluntarily terminating your own Facebook account due to security, legal and policy reasons. There is currently no workaround way to delete the profile without password authentication beforehand.

How to Delete Facebook Account on Android, iPhone and Computer

Here are the steps to delete your Facebook account on Android, iPhone, and computer:

Deleting Facebook on Android

Open the Facebook app on your Android phone
Tap the three-line menu in the top right
Scroll down and tap “Settings & Privacy”
Tap “Settings”
Scroll to the bottom and choose “Personal and Account Information”
Tap “Account Ownership and Control”
Tap “Deactivation and Deletion”
Tap “Delete Account” then confirm your password

Deleting Facebook on iPhone

Open the Facebook app on your iPhone
Tap the three-line menu in the bottom right
Scroll down and select “Settings & Privacy”
Tap “Settings”
Scroll down and tap “Personal and Account Information”
Tap “Account Ownership and Control”
Choose “Deactivation and Deletion”
Select “Delete Account” then enter password

Deleting Facebook on Computer

Go to facebook.com and log in
Click the down arrow icon in the top right
Select “Settings & Privacy” > “Settings”
Click “Your Facebook Information” in left menu
Select “Deactivation and Deletion”
Choose “Delete Account” and confirm password

The process will take up to 90 days to fully delete everything, but your account will be deactivated immediately after confirming password. Note deletion is irreversible after 14 days.

Let me know if you need any help with permanently deleting your Facebook account on mobile or desktop!

How do I Permanently Delete my Facebook Account?

Here are the steps to permanently delete your Facebook account:

Log into your Facebook account on a desktop or mobile browser.
Click on the down arrow at the top right corner of the page and select “Settings & Privacy”.
On the left sidebar, click on “Settings”.
In the top menu bar, click on “Your Facebook Information”.
On the next page, click on “Deactivation and Deletion”.
On the Deactivation page, click on “Delete Account” and then “Continue to Account Deletion”.
Facebook will now ask you to enter your password to confirm your identity. Enter your current Facebook password.
Click on “Delete Account” to confirm you want to permanently delete everything associated with your account.

That’s it! After you complete the steps above, your account will be scheduled for permanent deletion. Within 14 days your profile, posts, photos and all personal data will be erased from Facebook – with no option for recovery.

How do I Deactivate my Facebook Account on my Phone?

Here are the steps to deactivate your Facebook account using the Facebook app on your phone:

Open the Facebook app on your phone.
Tap on the three lines menu icon in the top right corner.
Scroll down and tap on “Settings & Privacy”.
Tap on “Settings”.
Scroll down and tap on “Personal and Account Information”.
Tap on “Account Ownership and Control”.
Tap on “Deactivation and Deletion”.
Tap on “Deactivate Account” instead of deleting it.
Select either “Take a Break”, “It’s too distracting” or “Other” for your reason to deactivate.
Tap “Confirm” to schedule the deactivation.

This will deactivate your Facebook account on your phone but you can still reactivate it by logging back in with your credentials if you change your mind later!

How do I Delete Everything Off My Facebook Account?

Here are the steps to delete everything from your Facebook account:

Download your information – Go to Settings > Your Facebook Information > Download Your Information. This allows you to save a copy of your info and data.
Remove your posts – Go through your timeline and delete individual posts, photos, videos, reactions, and comments. This erases content you’ve added over the years.
Remove tags – Go to Settings > Tags to manage all posts and photos you’ve been tagged in by others. Remove tags to untag yourself.
Delete Messages – Open Messenger > tap your profile pic > Message Requests > Delete Messages to remove conversations.
Unfriend friends – Go to your Friends list and remove connections individually to erase any traces with friends.
Leave groups – Visit your Groups list and leave all Facebook groups you’ve joined over the years.
Delete apps – Go to Settings > Apps and Websites to remove any integrated third-party apps.

Once you’ve taken those steps, everything tied your account should essentially be deleted, besides unconfirmed residual data within Facebook systems. You can then choose to either permanently deactivate your account or delete it entirely.

How do I Delete a Facebook Page from my Phone?

Here are the steps to delete a Facebook page you manage from your mobile phone:

Open the Facebook app on your phone.
Tap the three horizontal lines in the top right corner to open the menu.
Scroll down and tap “Pages”. This will show all the pages you admin.
Tap the three dots next to the page you want to delete.
Tap “Edit Page”.
Scroll down and tap “Unpublish Page”.
On the pop-up, tap “Permanently Delete [Page Name]”.
Tap “Continue” to confirm.

This will immediately and permanently delete that Facebook page. Note that you need to be an admin of the page in order to delete it.

If you just want to unlike or hide a page you’re following rather than deleting it completely, open the page itself and use the options in the top right corner instead.

How to Delete Facebook Account Permanently without Waiting 14 Days

There is no way to permanently delete your Facebook account instantly without waiting the 14 days. Here’s why Facebook requires you to wait before permanently deleting an account:

Cool Down Period – The 14 day wait time serves as a buffer in case users change their mind about deleting their account. This allows you to cancel and reverse deletion.
Data Backups – It takes time for Facebook to fully dismantle all the data associated with an account across their servers. 14 days allows them to delink data.
Security Precautions – Making accounts instantly deletable opens the door to hackers maliciously terminating accounts without consent. The wait time adds protection.
Legal Obligations – Government regulations obligate Facebook to allow a reasonable grace period for account owners to consent and approve permanent data erasure.

While Facebook could technically delete accounts immediately, they instituted the 14 day policy to allow cooling off, data wiping, abuse prevention, and legal compliance.

There are no known workarounds to bypass the waiting period. You must go through the full account deletion process and allow the 14 day countdown before permanent termination.

Why Can’t I Delete my Facebook?

There are a few reasons why you may be unable to delete your Facebook account:

Temporary technical issues – Sometimes there may be glitches with the account deletion process, preventing it from working properly. This is usually temporary. Trying again later often resolves it.
Account security protections – If your account was recently compromised or reported for unusual activity, Facebook will sometimes restrict account deletion temporarily as a security measure. After a week or so, the ability to delete your account should be restored.
Pending downloads of your information – If you have requested to download a copy of your Facebook data, the platform will put your account deletion on hold until after that data collection process completes. Double check your settings and try again later.
Linked Oculus VR device – If you have an Oculus virtual reality headset linked to your Facebook account, you’ll need to separate it first before being able to delete your account. Remove the Oculus link in your Facebook settings.
Under age 13 restriction – Due to COPPA child safety regulations, Facebook does not allow children under age 13 to independently delete accounts. Contact Facebook support for further help if underage.

The issues preventing account deletion are temporary. Allow some time to pass and double check your account for any of the above restrictions before trying again.

Can Anyone Delete a Facebook Account?

No, not anyone can delete a Facebook account. Here are some key details on who can delete a Facebook account:

The account owner – The original holder of the Facebook account can initiate deletion of their own account through the platform’s account termination process. This permanently deletes their profile and data.
Memorialized account of a deceased person – Verified immediate family members can request deletion of a deceased relative’s memorialized account via proof of death certificate. This removes the memorialized profile from Facebook.
Legal guardian of a minor – If the account belongs to a child under 18 years old, a verified parent or legal guardian can delete it. Appropriate proof must be provided to demonstrate legal guardianship.
Facebook operations teams – Internal Facebook employees and operations teams have the ability to remove accounts that seriously violate policies. But average users cannot request or impact this.

The ability to delete a Facebook account is limited to the original account owner, authorized relatives of deceased users, legal guardians of minors, and Facebook internal teams.

No other random individuals can request or force the deletion of someone else’s Facebook account without appropriate permissions or legal authority. The owner must initiate the termination themselves in most cases.

How do I Contact Facebook to Delete my Account?

Here are the steps to contact Facebook support if you require additional help with deleting your account:

Go to Facebook’s Help Center in your web browser and click “Help us with your issue”.
On the next screen, scroll down and click on “Managing, disabling or deleting your account”.
Click “Deleted account” and then “My account was disabled”.
This opens the form to contact Facebook support about a disabled or deleted account.
Fill in the contact form with:

Your full name
Associated email or mobile number
Details on when/why you tried deleting your Facebook account

For the question “What issues are you having?” – explain clearly you want to permanently delete your account and need assistance doing so.
Attach any screenshots of error messages or issues experienced when trying to delete the account.
Carefully review and submit the form to go directly to Facebook for additional help deleting your account.

The Facebook team should respond within approximately 1 business day to assist further.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to some common questions around permanently deleting your Facebook account:

Can I delete Facebook but keep Messenger?

No, if you delete your Facebook account then your Messenger account will be deleted too. They are considered the same account since they rely on your main Facebook login.

However you can export your Messenger conversation history before account termination.

What about Instagram or WhatsApp accounts connected to Facebook?

Your Instagram account will not get deleted automatically if you delete Facebook, since they are separate accounts today.

WhatsApp may get deleted though since it still relies on your main Facebook account in many regions globally. So check if WhatsApp has an independent signup in your country.

Can someone else reactivate my account if they have the password?

No, once your account enters the 14-day deactivated period no one can reverse the deletion process anymore – even if they have your password. The termination cannot be stopped by anyone at that point.

Will my account be memorialized since I passed away?

No. Facebook offers memorialized accounts for users who have unfortunately passed away. But since you requested deletion previously, Facebook will continue the scheduled deletion rather than memorialize the account.

I changed my mind! How can I restore my account?

Unfortunately there is no way to retrieve your account or reverse the deletion process once 14 days have passed since you first requested termination. At that point the deletion is permanent, so you’d have to sign up for a brand new account instead if you return to Facebook.

Stay Connected Beyond Facebook

While deleting Facebook offers numerous benefits, you likely still want to stay connected with close family and friends active on there.

The key is having contact information like cell phone numbers, email addresses, or handles for other social media profiles.

Here are the top ways to continue keeping in touch after leaving Facebook behind for good:

Personal Contact Lists

Maintain a contact list with phone numbers and email addresses for your closest connections. This ensures you can still message or call them through standard communication channels.

You can use spreadsheet apps or your phone contacts to save this key info outside Facebook.

Alternative Social Networks

Platforms like Twitter, Snapchat, Discord, and LinkedIn offer social feeds, messaging, groups, and other ways to engage.

Use these networks instead to connect with certain friends or family after Facebook.

Messaging Apps

Dedicated messaging platforms like SMS, WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, and Apple’s iMessage facilitate direct contact as well. These apps often support group chats too.

Rely on messaging to stay in touch one-on-one or with smaller friend circles.

Photo Sharing Sites

To continue seeing photos/video from connections, platforms like Instagram, YouTube, Flickr, and Google Photos give options to follow others or share your own visual content even without Facebook.

Scheduling Time Together

The best way to nurture relationships is spending quality time together in-person, chatting over video, or collaborating in shared spaces.

Calendaring apps, video calling services, real-life hangouts, coworking sites, and more provide plenty of solid options to connect outside of Facebook.

Final Thoughts

Although Facebook holds a huge userbase, deleting your account can still be the right personal choice to limit distractions, increase privacy, or simply move on with your life.

Using this up-to-date guide, you can permanently terminate your Facebook account with confidence in 2024. Just be sure to download your records, notify connections, unlink other services, and consider alternative social platforms to stay in touch after leaving Facebook for good.

With some prudent preparation, deleting your Facebook account gives you greater control over your information, attention, and relationships into the future.